- Major: Chemical Engineering
- Company: Sabic Innovative Plastics, Reily Foods Company, Big West Oil
- E-mail: gsheldon@vols.utk.edu
Profile
Hello! I’m Grace Sheldon, and I am a senior in chemical engineering. I love road trips, concerts, and anything nature related. Some of my hobbies include hiking, thrifting, rock climbing, and working out.
I worked two co-op rotations at Sabic Innovative Plastics in Mt. Vernon, IN. This is a manufacturing plant that produces polycarbonate common in automobiles, pipe segments, etc. During my first rotation, I was assigned to an extrusion unit (Crystalline Products Finishing) as an operations engineer intern. I worked in a polycarbonate (LEXAN) resin unit as a process engineer intern during my second rotation. Through this experience, I was able to build a solid foundation and gain knowledge about the day-to-day tasks of an engineer. I also gained an interest in process engineering and hope to pursue similar roles in the future.
During summer of 2022, I completed an internship with Reily Foods Company in Knoxville, Tennessee working in a mayonnaise unit as a quality intern. From this internship, I was able to explore a new industry, learn the emulsion process, and understand components that affect product specifications and quality.
I also interned for Big West Oil during the summer of 2023 and summer of 2024. This is an oil refinery in Salt Lake City, Utah where I was able to learn about the refining industry and gain more experience in process engineering. For my first summer, I was in a diesel desulfurization and dewaxing (HDS and MIDW) unit. My main projects centered around pour point testing, feed filter trials, and a water wash model on HYSYS. My second summer I was assigned to a gasoline reformer isomerization unit where I focused on project proposals which included introducing piping for a heat exchanger bypass, implementing a new fin fan bank, and separating fuel gas lines for units.
Each co-op rotation and internship has enabled me to learn about new processes and explore diverse industries within the field of engineering. I have been able to discover areas I hope to further explore as well as identify areas that don’t align with my interests. My goal is to help other students further their professional journeys and experience learning opportunities that are unique to co-ops and internships.
